Lubricating bolt



Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,452

F. G. HIRST Luanxcume BOLT Original Filed March 24. 1921 F) .1. Y 13 15 5 12 154 11 7/2 W; x

Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN G. HIRST, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LUBRICATING BOLT.

Application filed March 24, 1921, Serial No. 455,066. Renewed December 8, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that FRANKLIN G. Hms'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of'Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Bolts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lubricating bolts useful for securing together the leaves of springs for automobiles or other vehicles, as well as for securing together shackles, hangers, or other machine parts. The invention is especially concerned with the transmission of lubricant betweenthe bolt and other parts at its end. I aim to accomplish this as efiiciently as possible, with minimum liability to clogging up of the lubricant passages, such as would exist in the case of passages formed by drilling the bolt axially half its length and then at right angles. I also aim to accomplish the transmission of lubricant by means of simple and inexpensive devices, easily installed or taken apart even by unskilled persons, and to utilize the head member of the bolt for the purpose.

I have hereinafter described embodiments of my invention com rising head members for the bolt, both xed and removable. While these embodiments are the best known to me, so that in its narrower aspects, invention extends to various specific features and details here shown and described,--it will be understood, nevertheless, that in its broader aspects the invention is not limited to such embodiments, but can be otherwise carried out, embodied, and applied.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of a lubricating bolt and associated parts embodying my invention in preferred form,- various parts being in section, and the forms of lubricating heads shown in Figs. 5 and 6 being at the opposite ends of the bolt.

Fig. 2 shows a transverse section taken as indicated by the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a bolt with an ordinary integral head member at one end and a form of cap nut different from those shown in Figs. 5 and 6 at its other end.

Fig. 4 shows a transverse section taken as indicated by the line 44 in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of ca nuts like the bolt heads shown at the le and right of Fig. 1, res ectively,

The bolt head shown at t e right of Fig.

1 and in Figs. 2 and 6 comprises a part 10 in form resembling an ordinary hexagonal bolt head with a taperingly reduced shoulder or shank 11 (of less diameter than the head) at its abutting side, adjacent the bolt shank 12. Besides the part 10, the bolt head as a whole comprises an annular hollow collar part 13 fitting and engaging about the shoulder 11 against the head portion proper of the part 10, and thereby centered about the part 10. This collar 13 has a lateral lubricant opening or port 14, and affords passage for lubricant to or from the bolt shank 12. As shown, this passage is afi'orded lengthwise of the bolt by a clearance 15 due to the taper of the shoulder 11, and transversely or radially by a clearance 15' due to the fact that the collar 13 extends lengthcounterbore in the bolt head member composed of the parts 10 and 13, communicating directly with the bolt shank 12 on the one hand, and with the port 14 and the conduit 17 on the other hand.

In Fig. 1, the head 10 proper (with its tapering shoulder 11) is shown as an integral bolt head at one end of the bolt shank 12; while in Fig.5, the head 10 proper is shown as a separate head member or cap nut part, internally threaded to screw on the threaded end of the bolt shank.

For convenience, and in correspondence to' its structural relation to the bolt 12, the part 10 of Fi 6 may itself be referred to as a removable head member or cap nut; although in reference to the lubricating functions of the device, the term naturally includes the part 13 as well.

It will readily be understood, of course, that the cap nut device 10, 13 may be used on oneend of a bolt 12 having at its other end the ordinary, conventional form of bolt head 21 shown in Fig. 3; i. e., the cap nut 10, 13 may be used on the bolt shown in Fig. 3 in lieu of the cap nut 22 actually shown in that figure; so, likewise, may the nut 18 shown at the left of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 5.

The removable one-piece or bolt .head member or cap nut 18 shown at the left of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 5 has likewise a facial recess formed by an opening or well counterbored at 19 in its abutting face, and hence at its mouth of greater circumference than the bolt 12, so as to afford a clearance about the latter.

The cap nut 18 has also likewise a lateral screw-threaded opening or port 20, for a lubricating conduit such as 17, directly into the counterbore 19. The counterbore 19 extends, substantially, beyond the lateral opening 20, terminating in a taper 19 by which the counterbore merges into the internally screw-threaded portion of the capopening that takes the bolt end. The removable one-piece bolt head member or cap nut 22 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is internally screw-threaded to take the threaded end of the bolt 12, and has a lateral a screw-threaded opening or port2 fora lubricantconduit 17. Through a longitudinal passage 24 in the cap nut 22, the opening 17 communicates with the facial recess or well counterbored at 25 in the abutting face of the cap nut,of greater circumference than the bolt 12, so as to afford a clearance around the latter. Thus the lubricant traversing the shank 12 can pass directly to the recess orcounterbore 25, or vice-versa,

just as in the case of the corresponding features in Figs. 1,2, 5, and 6. a

In use, the lubricant su piied the bolt 12 from any of the forms 0 1t head or cap nut described flows along the shank, and is thence distributed to whatever the bolt is securing. In some cases, the shank 1 2 may be grooved longitudinally for the passage of the lubricant externally therealong, as it appears in Fig. 1. In other cases,-as with automobile or other leaf springs, on the other hand, the bolt 12 ma "preferably be ungrooved, as it appears in ig. 3; and space for external passa of lubrlcant alon it (for distribution etween the indivi ual spring leaves, or to whatever other object the bolt secures) ma be provided between the bolt and the wa s of the opening in which it is accommodated.

In Fig. 6, the sup 1y pipe 17 is shown L shaped, and as exten ing substantially above the normal position of the cap nut 10 with reference to the collar 13. In any case, the piiipe 17 may extend to a sufficient height to a 0rd pressure head for causing the lubricant to flow to the level desired. Of course, a cap may be secured over the open end of the pipe'17 to seal it.

In order to apply one of my cap nuts, it is only necessary to remove the nut supplied with the bolt on which mine is to be used and substitute mine.

The reason for ordinaril preferring the device 10,13 is that the co ar 13 can be ad- 'bolt having a longitudinally justed by the user to bring the opening 14 for the pipe 17 to the exact position desired just before the nut 10 is finally ti htened; whereas with the device 18 or 22, t e opening for the pi e 17 may unavoidably come. at the wrong p ace when thenut is properly tightened on the bolt 12 so that the user may either have to hack the nut oil, or may strip the threads in attempting to turn it sufiiciently the other way.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A lubricating bolt with external passage for lubricant along its shank having a head member with a lateral opening for a lubricant conduit and a recess in its abutting face adjacent the shank communicating with said 0 ening, so that lubricant traversing said s ank ma pass therefrom directly to said recess and thence to said conduit, or vice-versa.

2. A lubricating bolt having external aasage for lubricant along its shank, wi a nut counterbored from its abutting face and having an opening for a lubricating conduit communicating with said counterbore, so that lubricant traversing said shank may pass therefrom directly to said counterbore and thence to said conduit, or vice-versa.

3., A lubricating bolt having external passage for lubricant along its shank, witha nut counterbored from its abutting face and having a lateral opening for a lubricating conduit into said counterbore, so that lubricant traversing said shank may pass therefrom directly to said counterbore and thence to said conduit, or vice-versa. 4

LA lubricating bolt with a shoulder adj acent its head, and a hollow part engaging about said shoulder havin a lateral opening for lubricant and a ordin passage therefor to or from the bolt shan 5. A lubricatin bolt .With a taperin shoulder on the a utting side of its hea and a' hollow part engaging and thereby. centered about said, shoulder, and afford' passage for lubricant to or from the b0 t shank.

6. A lubricating device for a lubricatirtifi bolt comprising a cap nut for the boltwi a shoulder at its abutting side; and a collar adapted to engage about said shoulder and extend beyond it, and to afl'ord passage for lubricant to or from the bolt shank.

7. A lubricating device for a lubricati bolt comprising a cap nut for the bolt wi a tapering shoulder, a collar ada ted to fit over and extend beyond said shou der, there being an opening in said collar; and lubricant-conveying means in said opening.

8. The combination with a lubricating extending recess, of a cap nut therefor aving a tapering shoulder, a collar fitting over and extending beyond said shoulder, there an opening in said collar, and means in said opening for conveying lubricant to or from said recess.

9. A lubricating device for a lubricating bolt comprising a cap nut for the bolt with a tapering shou der, a collar adapted to fit over and extend beyond said shank having an opening therein, and lubricant-conveying means in said opening; the ta er and short 'ness of said shoulder relative y to said collar aifordin passage for lubricant to or from the b0 t shank.

10. A capnut for a lubricating bolt having a lateral opening for a lubricant condmt and an opening in its abuttin face larger than the bolt, counterbored, su stantially, beyond said lateral o ening, and therebeyond internally screw-t ceded to screw on the bolt.

11. The combination with a longitudinally grooved lubricating bolt, of a cap nut having a lateral opening for a lubricant conduit and an opening in its abuttin face lar er than the bolt, counterbored, su stantia y, beyond said lateral .openin and therebeyond internally screw-threaded to screw on the bolt; said opening in the abutting face of the bolt serving to admit lubricant to the groove in the bolt.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANKLIN G. HIRST. 

